India shuttler HS Prannoy had almost given up on winning his next title and breaking a six-year drought before chief national coach Pullela Gopichand instilled in him the belief that there is more to come from him.
Last Sunday, Prannoy ended the title drought with a 21-19, 13-21 21-18 win over China’s Weng Hong Yang in a pulsating men’s singles final at the Malaysia Masters Super 500 tournament.
The win helped him to claim his maiden Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title and also the first singles crown of the year for India.
“I think there are too many emotions. The last six years have been too much of a rollercoaster. I didn’t expect that a title will happen after six years, to be honest. I mean if you would have asked me in 2017 I don’t think I would have told you that I will win in 2023. So lots of mixed emotions,” Prannoy said after the title triumph.
“Thanks to all the coaches, support staff and Gopi sir. He kept telling me that it will happen one day and I should keep believing,” he added.
The 30-year-old Prannoy, who is ranked ninth in the world and India’s best at the moment, also thanked his former teammate RMV Gurusai Dutt, who turned to coaching after retiring in June last year, for helping him out in his hour of need.
Prannoy said he has not slept well in the last three days. “My team was a bit worried that I am not sleeping. There was so much emotion, you are excited to come out and play in front of this beautiful crowd,” he said.
Prannoy was instrumental in India’s epic Thomas Cup victory last year but an individual title has eluded him since the 2017 US Open Grand Prix.
Last weekend, however, Prannoy gave ample display of his fortitude as he outfoxed his opponents – world No 5 Chou Tien Chen, All England champion Li Shi Feng and Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto – in three games on way to the title clash.
“The draw was really tough for me, I had tough matches. I had to really dig deep in the four matches. It all went to the wire. It shows how much I was patient and my fitness was also decent.”
Prannoy has battled a series of injuries and health issues before turning his career around towards the end of 2021.
“I need to be smart enough to see which tournaments to play and which to back out and train in between the tournaments.
“It (the triumph) gives a lot of insights,” he said.
“When you dig deep and win such matches, that helps you find a lot of hidden gems, you will be discovering those after a long time and realise that you can do that.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)